70% of African American women are unmarried. Although that’s a large amount of unmarried black folk—it’s a harsh reality. Being an African American woman currently on the dating scene, I noticed a few mistakes that we as women make when meeting someone new. These mistakes are the top 4 things that keep us single.

1) Clingy

Stop being clingy—if you are the clingy type, then stop. It’s not a bad thing to desire the presence of someone you like, but when you are forcing your connection oppose to allowing it to take it’s natural course, you are setting yourself up for heartbreak. I am a strong believer that we all make time for the people and things that are important to us. If you think you need to be clingy to keep his interest, then it’s apparent he’s not that interested in you.

2) Expectations

Have clear expectations when you meet someone new. If you are looking to date long-term, short-term or you’re just “kickin’ it“—take the time to let the prospective dater know. One of our biggest mistakes as women is our inability to be “straight up“. When a man is solely interested in you sexually, he doesn’t hesitate to tell you. Having clear expectations will save you a lot of time, and from long pointless dates.

3) Don’t Date Potential

For some reason, black women like to date men who have the potential of being a good, employed, or strong man. This kind of behavior needs to stop. You don’t walk on a car lot to purchase a dependable car, and allow the dealer to show you a non-operable car—telling you it has the potential to run. If you work fulltime and you want your man to work full time then date a man who has a job. If you’re a Christian woman who wants a church going man, then don’t meet the guy at the club and pray he desires to attend church—date the brother at the church. We have to date a man’s reality not his potential.

If you’re not looking for a relationship that is solely sexual, then don‘t start the relationship off with sex. I’m sure it’s been a while since you’ve had “some“, and you’re probably in orgasmic hiatus, but don’t be desperate and careless by being sexually active with a man that you barely know. Many women like to use the philosophy of being a “grown woman” who can handle sexual intercourse without any attachment as their justification for sleeping with men expeditiously. In actually it’s a lie. I do not believe it is humanly possible for a woman to have anything on the inside of her and not be attached. God did not create us that way. If you want something more than sex, then don’t make sex the foundation of your relationship. In other words, make him wait.

DETROIT (AP) — It’s been called one of medicine’s “open secrets” — allowing patients to refuse treatment by a doctor or nurse of another race.

In the latest example, a white man with a swastika tattoo insisted that black nurses not be allowed to touch his newborn. That led several black nurses to sue the Michigan hospital, claiming it bowed to his illegal demands, and a rapid settlement in one of their lawsuits.

The Michigan cases are among several lawsuits filed in recent years that highlight this seldom-discussed issue, which quietly persists almost 60 years after the start of the civil rights movement.

The American Medical Association’s ethics code bars doctors from refusing to treat people based on race, gender and other criteria, but there are no specific policies for handling race-based requests from patients.

“In general, I don’t think honoring prejudicial preferences … is morally justifiable” for a health care organization, said Dr. Susan Goold, a University of Michigan professor of internal medicine and public health. “That said, you can’t cure bigotry … There may be times when grudgingly acceding to a patient’s strongly held preferences is morally OK.”

Those times could include patients who have been so traumatized — by rape or combat, for instance — that accommodating their request would be preferable to forcing on them a caregiver whose mere presence might aggravate the situation, she said.

Tonya Battle, a 25-year nurse at Flint’s Hurley Medical Center, filed the first lawsuit last month against the hospital and a nursing manager, claiming a note posted on an assignment clipboard read, “No African-American nurse to take care of baby.” She says the note was later removed but black nurses weren’t assigned to care for the baby for about a month because of their race.

That case, which was recently joined by three other nurses, was settled this week. Hospital officials said in a statement Friday that the incident was “triggered by conduct which is not consistent with Hurley’s policies” and that it “fundamentally opposes racial discrimination.”

No details about the settlement were released.

Earlier this week, Hurley President Melany Gavulic denied Battle’s claim, saying the father was told that his request could not be granted. Gavulic said the swastika tattoo “created anger and outrage in our staff,” and supervisors raised safety concerns.

Multiple email and phone messages left for Battle through her attorney were unreturned, and a listed number for her had been disconnected. She told the Detroit Free Press she “didn’t even know how to react” when she learned of her employer’s actions following her interaction with the father.

She said she introduced herself to the man and he said, “I need to see your supervisor.” That supervisor, Battle said, told her that the father, who was white, didn’t want African-Americans to care for his child and had rolled up his sleeve to expose the swastika.

Attorney Tom Pabst, who is representing nurse Carlotta Armstrong in a second lawsuit that wasn’t part of the settlement, said the hospital’s actions left nurses in the neonatal intensive care unit “in a ball of confusion.”

“She said, ‘You know what really bothered me? I didn’t know what to do if the baby was choking or dying. Am I going to get fired if I go over there?'” Pabst said.

The Michigan cases follow a 2010 decision by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which held that the federal Civil Rights Act prohibits nursing homes from making staffing decisions for nursing assistants based on residents’ racial preferences. The ruling stemmed from a lawsuit filed by a black nursing assistant who sued her employer for racial discrimination.

In another federal lawsuit filed in 2005, three black employees of Abington Memorial Hospital near Philadelphia claimed they were prevented from treating a pregnant white woman by her male partner, who was a member of a white supremacist group. The man used a racial slur when forbidding any care by any African-Americans.

The complaint alleged that supervisors honored the man’s request. The case was settled confidentially before going to trial, and the hospital admitted no liability. Frank Finch III, the attorney for the employees, said hospital officials also cited employee safety in their defense.

“That defense doesn’t fly under the anti-discrimination law,” Finch said. “Hospitals cannot use that as a defense in nonemergency situations.”

He said every hospital has a policy against discrimination and “undoubtedly acquiescing to such a demand is a violation of a written, internal policy in addition to being a violation of the law.”

Fordham University law professor Kimani Paul-Emile said she suspects nurses file more discrimination suits than doctors.

“With nurses and other sorts of staff, the hospital is telling them they can or cannot do something,” she said. “That might go to why you might see more lawsuits brought by nurses.”

She wrote an article last year in the UCLA Law Review titled “Patients’ Racial Preferences and the Medical Culture of Accommodation.” It was the source of the “open secrets” phrase.

Paul-Emile’s research cited a 2007 study at the University of Michigan Health System and others on how physicians respond to patients’ requests to be assigned providers of the same gender, race or religion.

The survey of emergency physicians found patients often make such requests, and they are routinely accommodated. A third of doctors who responded said they felt patients perceive better care from providers of shared demographics, with racial matches considered more important than gender or religion.

“The notion of white patients rejecting minority physicians for bigoted reasons in emergency departments and other hospital settings is deeply troubling and uncomfortably reminiscent of the type of discrimination that the civil rights statutes were designed to eliminate,” Paul-Emile wrote in her article.

Another study she cited found that patient requests for care by a physician are most often accommodated when made by racial minority patients.

Lance Gable, a law professor at Wayne State University in Detroit, said he believes such requests “are made more often than we’d like to think about” even if they aren’t frequently agreed to by hospital management. He suspects a supervisor might honor them but not say anything explicit to employees and only in rare instances would signs be posted as alleged in the Flint case.

“Maybe their explanation is an accurate description of what happened — the supervisor was scared of the father of this patient and made a decision that was ill-advised,” Gable said. “It might have been the right thing to do for the safety of the staff, and it still might be a violation of anti-discrimination laws.”

American drugs policy is a “war on black people” and results in the jailing of too many African Americans, billionaire entrepreneur and drugs law campaigner Sir Richard Branson told Metro Wednesday. Branson, who is a member of the Global Commission on Drug Policy, a body of leading figures and politicians campaigning for more effective drugs laws, said the U.S. approach to drugs was “racist.”

“The fundamental difference in America, is that it is a war against black people in America. It’s black people … 85 percent of people who go to prison for drug use in America are black people. They don’t take more drugs, but it’s a racist law against black people in America,” he said.

Branson was speaking at the Broadway offices of Metro New York, where he was Global Guest Editor for all of Metro’s sister titles around the world. Branson and the Commission call for a fresh approach, urging governments to treat addiction as an illness, best tacked by treatment and education, rather than as a crime.

He cited the example of Portugal, which has decriminalized drug use, although it continues to prosecute drug traffickers and dealers.

Black Youths Exposed More To Alcohol Advertising

African American youth culture is steeped in alcohol. References to booze have long been rife in rap music, and Jay Z, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs and Ludacris are among the hip-hop luminaries who have promoted alcohol. A new study puts some fresh data behind long-standing concerns about alcohol marketing to black kids. Young African Americans ages 12 to 20 see far more alcohol ads on television and in magazines than youths in general, according to the report published Thursday by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Researchers said two key factors are at play: Many alcohol ads specifically target African Americans and African American youth consume more media than youth overall. For example, African American youths watched 53 percent more television than youths in general in 2010, according to Nielsen data cited in the study. Despite the study findings, young blacks drink less than youths of other racial and ethnic groups. Researchers say this may be linked to factors such as poverty, social norms and religion that temper some of advertising’s impacts. But African Americans who drink seem to suffer more serious consequences, said David Jernigan, director of the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth, perhaps because they tend to have less access to health care and substance abuse treatment, live in poorer neighborhoods and are incarcerated more frequently.

Alcohol consumption is linked to three leading causes of death among young African Americans – homicide, suicide and accidental injury. “There’s rationale for being extra careful,” said Jernigan, whose group receives funds from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and has put out dozens of reports on alcohol marketing to youths over the last decade.

The study comes amid efforts to ban alcohol advertising on public property in some cities. A Los Angeles coalition has asked the City Council to ban alcohol ads on property such as bus shelters; last year, the company that manages the city’s bus benches agreed to not sell alcohol ads. Boston recently stopped advertising booze on public transit and advocates hope to extend the ban in other public areas. Minority youth frequently use public transportation and this would help shield them from alcohol ads, said Bruce Lee Livingston, executive director of Alcohol Justice, an industry watchdog.

The new study suggests marketers are falling short on limiting youth exposure to alcohol ads. Young blacks saw 32 percent more booze ads in magazines and 17 percent more on television than youth overall in 2009, researchers found. While African American youth were exposed 26 percent fewer radio ads for alcohol than youth in general, they heard 32 percent more radio ads for hard liquor. Members of the beer, wine and distilled spirits trade associations have agreed to avoid placing ads during TV programs with audiences made up of 28.4 percent or more people under age 21. Still, advocates say these voluntary standards are poorly enforced. “The self regulation pledge has not worked,” said Alcohol Justice’s Livingston, who would like to see government regulations.
While advertisers often say they can’t keep youth from seeing messages that are intended for adults, Jernigan isn’t buying it: “The industry knows quite precisely what they are doing.”

Herman Cain Believes More Black People Will Turn To GOP

Big Daddy Cain was at the GOP convention speaking on how more black folks are becoming republicans…closet republicans:

Why is one-time Republican presidential contender Herman Cain optimistic about the GOP bringing more African-Americans into its tent? Because “a lot of people in this country have not realized or it does not get picked up in the polls [that] some black people can think for themselves,” he said Monday afternoon. “They don’t have to be told what to think and who to vote for and they are responding to the facts.”

Cain was talking to an ABC News crew led by Nightline’s Terry Moran. Cain said he’s convinced there are many more ABCs — “American black conservatives” — than pundits and politicians think.

“I’m an ABC!” he enthusiastically told Moran. And while other blacks “may not be visible as delegates” at the largely white GOP convention, “I know that they are there. There are a lot of closet conservative blacks in this country looking for a home.”

Why won’t blacks, who have overwhelmingly voted Democratic for decades, continue to do so — especially when there’s an African-American in the Oval Office? Because President Obama hasn’t delivered on the things that all Americans want, Cain said: jobs, a sound budget, strong defense.

He’s now strongly behind Mitt Romney’s bid for the White House, added Cain. And he wonders why Romney doesn’t do better on polls about “likeability.”

“Governor Romney is one of the most likeable people out there. … I like him!,” Cain said. “What has happened here — the mainstream media, and the liberals, they have tried to define him as not as likeable as Obama and that is simply not true.”

Gabby Douglas, the first African American to win gold in the all-around for women’s gymnastics, received a huge hero’s welcome when she landed back home in Virgina Beach yesterday.

Shown above with her mom Natalie Hawkins, center, and her aunt, far left, and sister Joy, Gabby Douglas returned to her hometown of Virginia Beach after a two-year recently and was greeted by a gaggle of friends, family and fans.

She said, ‘It feels amazing to be home. It’s been an amazing journey.’

In addition to a ton of interviews, the superstar is also looking forward to a visit from Oprah, who will be hanging out with her for an upcoming “Oprah’s Next Chapter” episode.

What do you call it when your boss won’t let you serve white people because your “skin is too dark?” Sounds like a lawsuit to us!

A pair of former “perfumistas” at the high-end Bond No. 9 perfume shop claim in a federal lawsuit that owner Laurice Rahme is a racist who called African-Americans “thieves” — and used a code phrase to alert security when dark-skinned customers came into the store.

“We need the light bulbs changed,” was the signal for an unwelcome customer, according to the lawsuit.

Veronica Robledo and Karin Widmann are seeking $3 million in damages in the suit that accuses Rahme of violating their civil rights and firing them for objecting to her “pattern of racism against customers and employees.”

Robledo of the Bronx, who worked for Rahme for nine years, also claims her boss wouldn’t let her serve white customers because “my skin is dark.”

“I was very offended,” a tearful Robledo, 41, told the Daily News. “The last eight months were torture. I was afraid to speak to a black customer. ”

Robledo, who is Puerto Rican, said she even had to keep quiet about her black Jamaican boyfriend and “tell him to hide when he came to pick me up so (Rahme) wouldn’t see him.”

The last straw, Robledo said, was when Rahme accused her in February of knowing a black customer who was caught shoplifting in another store.

Robledo said when she and Widmann finally complained about the racism in February, Rahme fired them and accused them of stealing $25,000 worth of stock. They deny the accusation.

Rahme insisted she’s no racist and blamed the suit on “disgruntled employees” who got caught with their hands in the till. She said most of her workers are from minority groups, and added that she welcomes black customers. “We love them,” she insisted.

Rahme admitted they do use the “light bulbs” code “to protect the girls” when somebody suspicious enters the stores. But she insisted it’s not aimed specifically at black customers, although she did mention that each time her stores were robbed “they were all African-American robbers.”

Rahme, who said her ethnicity is French and Lebanese and claims to have once had a black boyfriend, also said the women’s discrimination complaint with the state Division on Human Rights was kayoed.

Walker Harman, an attorney for Robledo and Widmann, said the complaint “was dismissed at our request” for administrative reasons barring pending complaint and a lawsuit at the same time.”

Do you think these former employees deserve that kind of money? Or are they just angry over being let go after 9 years of working there? Do you think you could work somewhere racist for 9 years?

Barack Obama Announces New Education Program That Caters To African-American Students

Locked in a tough re-election battle with Mitt Romney, President Barack Obama aimed to energize his core supporters – African American voters – by delivering a rousing speech and unveiling a new executive order at the Urban League’s annual convention in New Orleans Tuesday night. The president told the largely African American crowd of roughly 3,700 people that the executive order will seek to improve educational achievement for African Americans at all levels “so every child has greater access to a complete and competitive education from the time they’re born to the time, all through the time they get a career” the president said to cheers.

An administration official tells NBC News the order will create a new White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African-Americans that will “work across Federal agencies and with partners and communities nationwide to produce a more effective continuum of education programs for African American students.” The official added that the initiative would be housed in the Education Department, which will work with the Executive Office and other Cabinet agencies to identify practices that will improve African Americans’ achievement in schools and colleges. The administration official did not yet know how much funding the program would receive but said more information would be released Thursday when the president signs the executive order.

The president has previously received criticism from some black leaders for not doing enough to help the African American community as rates for school dropout and unemployment among African Americans continue to be higher than the national numbers. Last August, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) told a crowd of Congressional Black Caucus members in Detroit, “We want to give the president every opportunity to show what he can do and what he’s prepared to lead on. But our people are hurting and the unemployment rate is unconscionable.”

Obama has in the past responded to such criticism. In an interview on BET last September he answered a question about why he didn’t create more policies specifically targeted at African Americans: “That’s not how America works,” the president replied, “America works when all of us are pulling together and everybody is focused on making sure that every single person has opportunity.”

These nine folks went from ashy to classy damn near overnight and now Centric is showing how they did it and continue to maintain it on their ‘Amateur Millionaires Club’ show:

Debt free in six months? Hmmm… We might have to tune in for this one.

Here’s some more info on the show:

From the every man to self-made man… CENTRIC presents the THE AMATEUR MILLIONAIRES CLUB, a fresh and exciting new docu-series that provides a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of 9 newly minted African American millionaires as they showcase their rise to wealth and the challenges that come along with their new found stature in society. Airing Saturdays at 11/10C*, viewers will get a front row seat to witness the drama of becoming rich almost overnight, juggling family, faith and business while living the lifestyle they never dreamed possible.

THE AMATEUR MILLIONAIRES CLUB closely follows the club members’ successes and failures as they overcome the stigma and stereotypical images associated with their chosen business path. This group of determined leaders obtained their millions with the Multi-Level marketing business model, which has leveled the playing field by affording the average person an opportunity to become a millionaire in a short period of time.

1) Hip-Hop & Homosexuality don’t mix-There are many talented gay people that have not been able to break into mainstream hip-hop. Hip-Hop is dominated by African Americans who have strived extremely hard to create and protect their image and the fact of the matter is homosexuality has always been shunned upon in the African American community, so the reason Frank Ocean desired to come out the closet is beyond me!

2) Money– Coming out the closet is going to STOP deals!!!! Frank Ocean should know that once he identifies himself in a particular group-then it’s going to stay with his brand forever! While some men make millions of dollars pretending to be heterosexual-he will never have the opportunity because real women do not have an interest in men who like men!

3) Collaboration- Artist will not work with Frank Ocean now that he has decided to come out the closet! Again-people have been working for to uphold their image and they will not let a talented new comer ruin it! Frank Ocean has possibly ruined the opportunity to work with several great artists!

4) Black People Don’t Support Homosexuality- Although Frank is attempting to make a stand; he would have been better off having a seat. Since the beginning of time black people have forbidden homosexuality. White people can be gay and get away with it; black people cannot! The world loves Anderson Cooper, but what black gay man do people love? The ideology that you have to come out the closet is played out-As an artist your only concern should be your art! No-one is entitled to your personal life (Learn from Queen Latifah). Being black in America is hard enough young man; however you have made it a whole lot harder. Robert Downey Jr. was strung out on drugs now he’s America’s Iron Man-Bobby Brown was strung out on drugs and now he’s just another negro who was on top of his career and drugs destroyed it!

5) You’re an Artist Not A Gay Man-Frank Ocean should know that he is an artist and his sexual preference is not a part of his art! Frank Ocean should realize if you are not trying to be the poster man for Gay Men than you should have kept your personal life personal and professional life professional. There is nothing bold about coming out the closet; what’s bold is never going into the closet! I wish Mr. Ocean all the best in his career, and I hope God helps him on this new journey which he is about to encounter!

BET's "The Game." Premiere night was off the chain! Pics of Tia Mowry, Brandy, and the rest of the cast! creator/directors Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil. New cast member Brandy with her cast members--Bibs and Pooch Hall. Gabrielle Dennis (Janay) To the right the show's costume designer, Pinkney Turner, Larenz Tate giving support: brandy […]